RAWALPINDI, Feb 14: People of the twin cities had to face problems once again after the private transport company kept all its buses off Murree Road following Sunday's accident in which a person was killed.
Commuters could be seen waiting at every bus terminal on Murree Road and the route from Zero Point to Pak Secretariat on which the company had exclusive rights. The situation was worse especially in the morning when people were going to the office and in the evening when returning. Many people had to hire taxis or walk to their destinations.
Although the traffic police forced more than 100 vehicles of public transporters to run on the routes vacated by the bus company, these were not sufficient to cope with the large number of commuters.
All these vehicles were packed to capacity. People were very angry over, what they said, the irresponsible attitude of the transport company owner. They said the company always stopped its service without informing the administration. As a result, the administration could not make alternative arrangements.
"Since this company has been given the franchise, travelling problems are increasing. And to add insult to injury, the company suspends service on its own. Isn't it responsible to anyone. Isn't it governed by any law," a commuter said.
Passengers were of the view that unless the monopoly of the private company was broken and public transport and new buses allowed to operate on all routes of the twin cities, they would continue to suffer immeasurably.
They expressed concern over the failure of the transport authorities and the local administration to compel the owner of the bus company to observe rules and regulations.
They demanded that the so-called franchise be done away with and public transporters be allowed to run their vehicles. They also demanded that other transport companies be permitted to run buses in order to increase competition.
The Regional Transport Authority secretary, when contacted, said the bus company's administration had been asked not to stop its service. But, the administration did not bring buses on Murree Road for fear of retaliation following Sunday's incident. He admitted that they had not been informed of the strike.
On the other hand, general secretary of Public Transporters Association Shabir Bangash complained that the police had commandeered about 200 vehicles and forced these to ply on routes from which private buses had been withdrawn. He deplored the helplessness of the government before the bus company owner who, he said, had been breaking the law with impunity.
PPI ADDS: The private transport company chairperson, Uzma Gul, has demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident that took place on Murree Road near Ojri Camp on Sunday.
Talking to media persons on Monday, Ms Gul said she was grieved over the death of a man and expressed her sympathies with the bereaved family. She said a judicial inquiry should be conducted into the incident and the responsible be sentenced.
Ms Gul said Sadiqabad police station had denied registering a case against the people who had damaged the buses. "We have been pressurized to amend the FIR, as our buses were set ablaze in the presence of police and 16 buses were pelted with stones," she added.
She said a ticketing officer of the company captured the person at a time when he was burning a bus and handed him over to SP City Police, Waqar Chauhan. The man confessed to his crime in front of the SP, but the police intentionally freed him, she said.
She said the district police officer (DPO), Syed Moravat Ali Shah, had denied providing protection to the company's buses. That is why, she added, they had to suspend the bus service on Murree Road.
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